8.30.2012

So much to do I that don't know where to start

In a week from tomorrow the hubby and I fly to Tahoe for our JDRF Ride to Cure event. I'm really excited and really overwhelmed. Since we have 2 connecting flights each direction we've decided wisely to not check any bags...unwisely we didn't pack our helmets and shoes with our bikes (since DH was initially thinking we'd ship a box to Tahoe and ship it back--and then changed his mind, like woman!). So several days of cool weather clothing, 2 cycling kits, helmet and shoes, and toiletries and things need to fit in carry-on. D'oh! Flying, meh.

Before we can leave there's also laundry and packing and major cleaning of the house and getting clothing and school things and lunches ready for the rugrat.

We fly out just days after DS starts school. His grandma will be staying with him and our cats while we're gone. We return LATE Monday night, then DS goes to overnight camp with his class the morning after we get back, so we won't really see him for almost a week!

Speaking of weeks, it's been just over a week since my friend Heather badly broke her wrist. She had surgery 3 days ago and the first full day home was ROUGH for her. She misread her pain meds prescription and was taking half the necessary dose...when her nerve block wore off she was in hellish pain and had horrific swelling. I'm going to visit her tonight and bring her some fancy IPAs to soothe her sorrows.

We have some mountain bike and gravel road plans for the holiday weekend, since our road bikes are somewhere between MI and Tahoe. Yesterday I rode at the Boy Scouts land near us for the 3rd time. Each time it seems a little less scary, though there is one extra challenging loop that I have yet to try. Maybe when I have my new bike I'll attempt it, but it could be a while.

The ETA on my new ride looks like it won't be until Oct. or Nov. (Salsa officially updated their site with the 2013 models just yesterday, so at least I have something to ogle in the meantime). For a while I had toyed with the idea of maybe even buying an entry into The Iceman Cometh 29 mile mountain bike race. A friend with a bum knee is planning to sell hers, but I don't think I'd be comfortable covering that distance on my current too-small bike and even if I did have the new bike by then, I'd not really get to do adequate training prior to the race.

Yesterday I briefly considered pulling the trigger on the 2012 model, since I could probably have it in a week and for a bit less cash, but the more I think about it, the more I think I'll be happier with the Shimano triple on the 2013 than with the 2012's SRAM double (and this is coming from the woman who swears by SRAM doubles on her road and CX bikes). I don't like the SRAM triggers, but I'm not certain that I'm sold on the grip/twist shifters available for SRAM, either. I rode a friend's Shimano 29er around a parking lot today...it has the exact same shifters that the 2013 El Mariachi 3 has. I really liked them. Shifting onto larger rings in the front took a lot less force with the Shimano than with the SRAM on my current bike.
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